, 1887-09-25
ON THE DOWN GRADE.
Lots Of Cattle and Low Prices
for Them.
Range Stock Declines Ten to
Fifteen Cents.
The Sheep Market Fairly Ac-
tive and Steady.
Review of the Market.
'ial Dispatch to The LEADER.

'bSNi" DiopdtCH " HI LEADER.
CHICAGO, Sept. 23.-Prices for cattle
continue on the down grade and weak
ness is the prevailing feature of the
market. This is true not only of common
to fair grades, which as usual constitute
the major part OF the daily arrivals, but
OF the better sorts as well. The cause of
the depression is not hard to find. 1t
is the same old complaint, viz: an over
supply.
Receipts show considerable falling of
from the recent average, but are still
much larger than the requirements of the
trade warrant. Really choice native
beeves are rather hard to find, but with
the market flooded with poor stuff, the
sellers have been unable to prevent weak.
ness even in the most desirable of the
offerings. The dressed beef men are buy
ing pretty freely, shippers are buying
freely. everybody is buying freely,
but the combined demand will moi
absorb the offerings aud prices have SUI
tered on the week an average loss of about
l5c. 1t cannot be said hat receipts even
OF the commoner grades of natives have
been materially larger than at a corre-
spending period in past seasons. 1t is the
cattle from the ranges hat have swamped
the market. They have come tumbling
In at the rate of 5000 to 5000 head pcr
day, and all natives which have to come
into competition with them are terribly
under neglect. Big fat beeves are also
neglected.
Exporters have not done much of late,
and pnp,an,,nntl, La1la.. -
have to accept mean prices. Medium
weights are the most saleable just now
On the ordinary run of shipping stock
values are as low now as at any time dur
ing July, and plain and common grassers.
such as have to compete with Texans and
Northern rangers are ever lower than in
July. Nobody expects to see any adj
vance in this latter class of stock during
the next two months, and nobody can see
how quotations can well 90 much lower.
For choice beeves some Improvement il
looked for. At present common grassers
are not wanted at $2.75@3 90. and very
decent ones go a begging at So l003 25.
Fair to good corn fed steers 90 at SO. 75(0
4 10, and lots of l,4O0 to l,5OO pound
steers are weighed at 81 l5(94. 25. Choice
beeves bring "a O(04 e5 and a few extra
droves 81 SO(95.OO. In fact, cattle
good enough for any market in the world
can be bought at 81 5000 95.
Butchers stuff is slow and trade unsat-
isfactory. Ordinary cows and bulls sell at
81. 1902. 25, and inferior sorts can scarce
ly be disposed of at 81. 25(G so. Low
as these prices look, there is little pros
pect for improvement until the rush of
common rangers is over. Canning stock.
either native or Texan, is as low as ever
in the history of the trade.
In the market for stockers and feeders
nothing of an encouraging character is to
be seen. Low as good stock cattle may
now be bought, there is only the most re-
stricted demand, and the accumulation
continues. The principal trouble at the
present time is the fear entertained by
farmers of introducing Texas fever.
Range cattle are altogether too plenti-
full and the lowest prices of the season
prevail. the market has suffered an
average decline of lO(6l5c, and the feel.
ing is weak-unqualifiedly weak. One
half the actual daily supply would be
more nearly in accordance with the de-
mand. Fair to good Texans are slow at
$2.5042 IS, and good Westerns go at
81 0(93 90.